The street style at Copenhagen Fashion Week firmly established preppy fashion as the season’s standout trend, while the wide range of looks highlighted just how versatile and open to interpretation it can be.
With no singular TikTok-driven fashion core or aesthetic dominating fashion this summer, a preppy mashup influenced by tennis, old money, dark academia and Y2K nostalgia for Burberry took the streets.
Pleated skirts, collared knits, button-down shirts, and loafers were classic staples of the preppy aesthetic—but it was the creative styling by fashion week attendees that gave these timeless pieces a fresh, modern edge. Polos were layered, tops were sheer, buttons were skewed and pleated skirts were paired with trompe l-oeil printed tees.
Sophisticated polka dots, gingham, stripes and tartan enlivened the look with color.
Meanwhile, slouchy pleated chinos, sweater vests, loafers and neckties—worn in conventional and unconventional ways—added a grandfatherly look to the trend.
